


Just a Dream

by Astelia



Category: Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, Nightmare on Elm Street
Genre: Angst, Bloody, F/M, Gore, Nightmares, Vomit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 06:41:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11076141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astelia/pseuds/Astelia
Summary: The club members have all been experiencing the strangest, most vivid nightmares as of late. Even though there's the knowledge that it's all just a dream, Shion is determined to figure out what it is that's pursuing them all. And when the first death occurs, then Shion is truly worried...





	Just a Dream

She wakes up gasping for air, eyes snapping open to the sanctuary of her room. Just like that, Shion finds herself in her own bed of her place in Okinomiya. A place where she currently remains safe. So it was all just a dream, a very vivid nightmare that one will always experience from time to time.

After ten minutes of listening to her own breathing, Shion lets out a sigh of relief and fas back into bed, snuggling as she wraps her pillow close to her torso. But… this is strange. Why does the covers seem to rustle across her bare skin even when she's wearing her nightgown?

So she feels around her back until she finds several jagged slashes that barely managed to avoid piercing past that thin layer of clothing into her flesh. Almost the exact same places where that assailant had clawed at her with those finger knives of his while she tore away from him. And the rest of that dream felt so vivid, so real. The heaving, wet ragged breathing of Shion. How the cold, humid air sent goosebumps crawling up her bare arms. How her throat began to rasp when she let out that high, wavering scream.

A long whining buzz emits from the phone, so wondering who could be calling at this hour Shion picks up.

"Hello?" She greets the other end. Heavy breathing from minutes of crying are heard against the slight crackling of static on the line.

"This is Mion," the voice announces. Her voice is shaking and high, signifying that she was crying not too long ago.

Shion twirls the coiling phone chord around one finger. "What's wrong, Sis?"

"B-bad dream," Mion says. "I d-don't know what happened, and now I'm so scared, Shion."

"What did you dream?"

"I was in a strange room, tinged red. And it was so hot! I could feel myself sweating. Then out of the shadows comes this man! H-he was wearing a dark hat, and has this ugly sweater with red and green stripes. He had these finger knives—"

"Mion!" Shion cuts in. "That's what he looked like?"

"Yeah."

"I dreamed about the same man not too long ago. He cut through my nightgown while I was running, and then I woke up. And there were tears in the spot where he ripped through my nightgown."

"So you dreamed about your nightgown getting cut up, and you see it cut up now? Something like that…happened to me. I tried to wake myself up by burning my hand on a loose pipe. I woke up with a nasty burn on my hand."

"Oh no! Are you okay?"

"I put some ointment on it after washing it in cold water, and bandaged my hand. Grandma was asleep during that time, so she didn't ask me about it. And now—"

Mion continues to babble to her sister on the other end of the line about how she's so scared, how she was worried she was going to die, how she doesn't want to go back to sleep in fear that this mystery attacker will kill her when she's asleep. Shion doesn't interrupt, jus nodding emphatically at her sister's every word. After all, she shares a lot of the same fears from her own experience. It feels somewhat calming to have someone who she can relate to.

"I'm sorry, Shion. I'm sorry I had to wake you up, I'm sorry about you having to go through the same thing." She doesn't know what to say after that, so she just gulps uselessly like a fish does.

"It's alright. That's what sisters are for."

"I think I'll hang up now. I don't want to have Grandma find out what I'm doing at this hour. But… what do I do?"

"I don't know," Shion admits. "I'm actually scared myself to go back to sleep. But… I guess maybe try to stay awake and think of something to make you happy."

"Alright. I want to talk to you in the morning, though, okay, Sis?"

"Alright."

"Good night."

The phone nearly clatters to the ground from Shion's lax grip, so she scoops up the device before it can clatter to the floor. If she causes a racket she might awaken Kasai. She doesn't want that.

So Shion heads into the kitchen, flicking on the light. She'll just make herself a nice cup of tea and head back to bed. Maybe her nightgown was ripped before she went to sleep and she didn't notice it! Either way, she'll have to throw it out in the morning.

"Shion?"

Too late. Kasai has woken up.

"What are you doing up so late?"

"Oh!" Shion scratches the back of her head, watching as sink water gushes from the tap into the kettle. "I woke up after a bad dream, so I decided to go make myself a cup of tea to calm down." (A slight stretch of the truth? Perhaps.)

"Just go back to bed soon, and make sure it's not caffeinated," Kasai advises, sending Shion fuming. Who does he think he is, ordering her around as a parent would a child? Then again, he is supposed to protect her…

"There's a rip in your nightgown," he says.

"I'm not sure where that came from, unfortunately. I'll have to repair it in the morning with a sewing kit. Or throw it out."

"Change into something else when you're finished. Tomorrow's a school day, after all, and having you tired is not something I want to experience. Good night, Shion."

"Good night, Kasai."

She is now left alone with her thoughts and the soft hissing of the tea kettle.

Peppermint, chamomile, or ginger?

I almost died.

Most likely chamomile. It usually helps her sleep easily.

And I have this nightgown as evidence.

Shion waits for the little kettle to begin hissing so as to signal her that she needs to turn off the heat.

And Mion experienced it too. She called me.

She pulls out a cup from the cabinet above her head, setting it on the counter with a ceramic clink.

It wasn't a lie. She spoke the truth. Mion wouldn't be able to fake that much fear in her voice.

She's been waiting for this long? The tea kettle has already started to whistle in impatience, demanding Shion's attention.

And she burned her hand in the dream. I don't know if that's true, but still…

The boiling water is poured expertly into the mug. The papery little teabag full of chamomile tinges the water amber. Then a small spoonful of grainy sugar stirred in.

What if it isn't just Mion or I who was targeted?

Shion takes a small sip of hot tea once it's done steeping, nearly burning her tongue. She gulps down the hot drink and waits.

Maybe Mion was lying. She'll be cheeky from time to time, even with her own sister. Besides, maybe my nightgown was ripped before I put it on and I just didn't notice it!

A small smile tugs at her lips, but it feels tacked on and forced.

That’s right. It was just a silly little nightmare I had. Mion probably dreamed about burning her hand, and somehow hurt herself cooking but forgot it in her sleep, right? That’s all it is, she’ll behave this way sometimes. It’s nothing to worry about.

Shion finishes her tea and places the mug gently in the sink, shuffling back into the bedroom where she can change into a fresh nightgown and sleep once more. She peels her nightgown away from her body in the privacy of her room, slipping into a new one.

It was just a dream.

There’s no reason to be afraid.

So why does she experience a slight feeling of dread so deep in the back of her mind?


End file.
